Share on Twitter A Dutch court on Friday ordered Shell to compensate Nigerian farmers for oil spills that polluted swathes of their land in the Niger Delta. After 13 years of legal battles, an appeals court in The Hague ruled that Shell's Nigerian branch must pay out for leaks on land in two villages. It also held the Anglo-Dutch parent company, Royal Dutch Shell, liable for installing new pipeline equipment to prevent further devastating spills. "The court ruled that Shell Nigeria is liable for the damage caused by the spills. Shell Nigeria is sentenced to compensate farmers for damages," judge Sierd Schaafsma said.